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07/05/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) 10,000 Attend Navasartian Closing Ceremony 2) Vatican Opposes Turkey Joining European Union 3) Minsk Group Co-Chairmen Issue Annoucement 4) Kocharian Begins Official Iran Visit 1) 10,000 Attend Navasartian Closing Ceremony VAN NUYS, CaliforniaMore than 10,000 community members flocked to the Birmingham High School field Tuesday for the closing ceremonies of the 31st annual Homenetmen Navasartian Games, which culminated in a parade of athletes and scouts and an impressive display of fireworks. The athletic field and the entire high school was filled with Homenetmen members, supporters and community members who chose to mark the July 4 holiday at what has become a California-Armenian community tradition. The program began with announcers Nora Tchaparian (Armenian) and Patyl Kasparian (English) officially declaring the commencement of the parade and the closing ceremonies. The Homenetmen Regional Scouting Council members escorted the procession of honored guests led by Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, 31st Navasartian honorary chairs Mr.& Mrs. Hovsep and Elizabeth Boyadjian, "Exemplary Homenetmen Member" Samuel Megerdichian and Homenetmen Regional Executive chairman Raffi Ispendjian. Among the guests attending the ceremonies were Armenia's Deputy Consul General Arthur Madoyan, Homenetmen Central Committee member Mheir Davtian and Manuel Marcellian, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western Region Central Committee member Hagop Tufenkian, Glendale School Board member Greg Krikorian, Burbank School Board member and the Democratic nominee for the 43rd Assembly district Paul Krekorian, as well as representatives of community organizations. Complete coverage of the 31st Navasartian Games will be featured in the Weekend Edition of Asbarez. 2) Vatican Opposes Turkey Joining European Union VATICAN CITY (AKI)According to the Head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Kasper, the recent stabbing of a Catholic priest in the northern Turkish city of Samsun shows that Turkey is not ready for European Union membership. "It is not the right moment for Turkey to join the European Union. What is still missing [in Turkey], is a secular state capable of assuring real religious freedom, and this is a long process which needs time," he told Milan Daily Corriere della Sera on Tuesday. Referring also to the stabbing by a Turkish suspect of French Priest Pierre Brunissen late on Sunday, Cardinal Kasper said the Catholic church believes that "every act of violence committed in the name of God is an insult to Him and to every religion." In Turkey "the church is not even entitled to private property, there is some tolerance, but no real freedom," explained Cardinal Kasper. "The Turkish state administers religion and that is not right. However, it is not just a problem of regulations, it is a mentality issue, and this cannot change quickly," he added. "The atmosphere is pervaded by suspicion and xenophobia, it is not just a problem of individual acts of aggression towards Catholics. Islamic fundamentalism is growing in Istanbul and there is hostility toward foreigners," he explained. According to the cardinal, education is a key issue and the authorities should encourage young Turks to "look at present times with new eyes." 3) Minsk Group Co-Chairmen Issue Annoucement YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan, Armenpress)The co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Monday issued another statement regarding the Karabakh peace process, reiterating the group's position that the principles proposed as a result of a two-year long negotiation process were the best package for the conflict resolution. "On June 22 the Minsk Group Co-Chairs reported to the OSCE Permanent Council on the results of the past months of negotiations between the sides on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They reported on their intensive mediation activities over the past seven months aimed at achieving agreement on the basic principles for a settlement. These included three visits of the Co-Chairs to Baku and Yerevan, three times together and several more times separately, two meetings of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and two summits between Presidents Kocharian and Aliyev, first in Rambouillet in February and then in Bucharest in early June. In addition, a joint Mission of Representatives of the Co-Chair countries at the Deputy Foreign Minister level traveled to the region in May. Throughout their mediation efforts, the Co-Chairs stressed, as always, the belief of their nations and of the international community that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved in no other way than a peaceful one. They also stressed the need for the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to prepare their publics for peace and not for war," the annoucement read "The mediation efforts of the Co-Chairs resulted in the proposal to Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian of a set of fair, balanced, and workable core principles that could pave the way for the two sides to draft a far-reaching settlement agreement. The principles are based on the redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin districts (including a corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh), demilitarization of those territories, and a referendum or population vote - at a date and in a manner to be decided through further negotiations - to determine the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Deployment of an international peacekeeping force and a joint commission for implementation of the agreement would be established, and international assistance would be made available for demining, reconstruction, and resettlement of internally displaced persons in the formerly occupied territories and the war-affected regions of Nagorno-Karabakh. Certain interim arrangements for Nagorno-Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of international assistance. The sides would renounce the use or threat of use of force, and international and bilateral security guarantees and assurances would be put in place. Regarding the vote to determine the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs stressed that suitable pre-conditions for such a vote would have to be achieved so that the vote would take place in a non-coercive environment in which well-informed citizens have had ample opportunity to consider their positions after a vigorous debate in the public arena. "Unfortunately, at their most recent meeting in Bucharest the Presidents did not reach agreement on these principles. The Co-Chairs continue to believe that the proposals developed through the past two years of negotiations hold the best potential for achieving a just and lasting settlement of the conflict. They strongly believe that it is now time for the two Presidents to take the initiative for achieving a breakthrough in the settlement process based on these principles, and they stand ready to assist the parties to conclude an agreement if the Presidents indicate they are prepared to do so. Although no additional meetings between the sides under the auspices of the Co-Chairs are planned for the immediate future, they will be ready to reengage if the parties decide to pursue the talks with the political will that has thus far been lacking." Armenpress reported Wednesday that a senior Azeri official reaffirmed official Baku's willingness to continue talks with Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution option based on the so-called "stage and package" approach. Tair Tagizade, head of the Azeri foreign affairs ministry's press office, told the Russian Itar-Tass news agency that Azerbaijan perceives the first stage of the peace process comprising of 8 to 10 elements which include the pullout of Armenian troops from regions surrounding the borders of Nagorno-Karabakh, demining of the front-line, return of refugees, ensuring their security, and restoration of communications. The second stage of talks, Tagizade said, must focus on defining the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. He added that this is possible only after there is restoration of the ethnic composition of Nagorno-Karabakh to that of prior to 1988, ensuring the security of Armenian and Azeri communities of Nagorno-Karabakh in line with the Azerbaijani constitution. Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov was quoted by the Turan news agency on Monday saying Baku has never agreed to a type of solution that would culminate in a referendum on the Nagorno-Karabakh status. Azimov said Baku believes such a vote should instead take place on Azerbaijan's entire internationally recognized territory. "That is reflected in the Azerbaijani constitution and the country's leadership does not intend to revise its opinion," he said. 4) Kocharian Begins Official Iran Visit TEHRAN (Armenpress)Armenian President Robert Kocharian was officially welcomed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at his presidential office on Wednesday. After the welcoming ceremonies, the two presidents spoke privately, and then presided over the first round of official talks with the countries' delegations. President Ahmadinejad, during his opening remarks, expressed hope that Kocharian's visit will be another important step to help boost bilateral contacts. Kocharian, in his turn, said progress was marked after his previous visit to Iran. The Armenian delegation includes Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian, and other top officials. During his two-day stay, Kocharian is scheduled to hold separate meetings with senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

NOT ONLY LAND, THEY WILL RETURN EVERYTHING
Lragir.am
04 July 06
Several former commanders of the Karabakh war made a statement July
4 at the Pastark Club. The reason for their statement is the recent
activity around the settlement of the conflict over Karabakh,
particularly the proposals involving the return of liberated
territories, which are approved by official Yerevan.
“We call the patriotic forces for unification at this crucial moment,
and defend our endangered Fatherland,” announce the veterans of the
Karabakh war led by Manvel Yeghiazaryan, the commander of the Arabo
squad and the former commander of the organization National Army of
Liberation of Artsakh Arkady Karapetyan.
“In fact, it means surrendering our homeland. Everything starts little
by little, first they will surrender a village, then a region, then
Karabakh, then Armenia. This is the logic,” says Arkady Karapetyan
with regard to Vardan Oskanyan’s statement on endorsing the proposal
of the mediators.
The azatamartiks began their statement with a description of the hard
social conditions of most participants of the war in Karabakh.
According to Manvel Yeghiazaryan, it is not an accidental reference.
“We know who did what, who has power, who is oligarch, who is
rich. Damn them! The war in Artsakh is not over, we know very well
what they did during the war in Artsakh. I assure that their political
will, their role in the society now was the same during the war in
Artsakh. People made millions, naturally they fear for their money,
they think what’s the point in countering the United States or Russia,”
says Manvel Yeghiazaryan. He announces that in case the territories
are surrendered, he will become a militant because 21 soldiers from
his squad are missing, and he does not know what he would tell their
mothers in case the land is surrendered.
The former azatamartiks think that accepting the proposal of the
mediators is a defeatist policy, mentioning that the Armenian diplomacy
proved unable to set down our victory in the world. Manvel Yeghiazaryan
is convinced, however, that Robert Kocharyan will not sign a defeatist
agreement but he assures that people around him push him.
The participants of the liberation war are ready to take any step
to prevent surrender of territories. “Nothing is impossible, we may
protest, maybe, I do not know, everything is possible because our life
will lose its meaning after such steps. We think they will surrender
some territories. They will not surrender land, they will surrender
everything, you and us,” says Arkady Karapetyan.

SKINHEAD GROUP, WHO BEAT AN ARMENIAN, ARRESTED IN KRASNOYARSK
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.07.2006 14:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In late June a group of youth beat an Armenian
citizen on Tatyshev Island in Krasnoyarsk.
The victim got serious bodily injuries. Initially criminal proceedings
were instituted over the fact on article 213 of the Criminal Code
of the Russian Federation – “hooliganism”, however when a group of
minors were arrested on suspicion of committing that crime, the adult
complicit of the beating is also arrested. He introduced himself
as “leader of Krasnoyarsk skinheads” and motivated his actions by
national dislike. After his arrest the Federal Court of the Soviet
region of Krasnoyarsk brought a charge against him on article 282 of
the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – “instigating hatred or
animosity, equally as humiliating human dignity on national ground,
publicly, by using violence.”
The case is in the execution of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Soviet
region. The investigation is checking the complicity of the person
arrested to committing similar crimes. According to Aide of Krasnoyarsk
Territory Prosecutor Yelena Pimonenko, this is the first shaking
demonstration of nationalism in the region. “And the Prosecutor’s
Office will undertake all efforts to prevent such delinquency at
once. We have a strict approach to that phenomenon not to admit its
spreading,” Yelena Pimonenko underscored, reports the Yerkramas,
the newspaper of Armenians of Russia.

Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 30 2006
Referendum in Karabakh?

BAKU – While mediators representing the United States, Russia and
France came up with a framework agreement on how to end the
18-year-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministries traded bitter accusations, blaming
each other for the failure of peace negotiations.
In an interview with RFE/RL on 22 June, Matthew Bryza – the newly
appointed US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group – said the framework
agreement envisages Armenia’s withdrawal from Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories, the restoration of diplomatic and economic ties between
Baku and Yerevan, the deployment of peacekeepers to the conflict
zone, international economic assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh, and a
vote `at some point’ on the future status of the region. `So that’s
kind of the basic outline of the proposal on the table, and we would
very much encourage the [Azerbaijani and Armenian] presidents to
accept this framework, which requires a lot of political courage,
which I’ve said publicly before,’ Bryza said.
In the meantime, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the talks
mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group were leading nowhere. Speaking at
the graduation ceremony of a higher military school in Baku, Aliyev
reiterated that Armenia’s refusal to withdraw from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan could make the latter resort to military
action.
Aliyev said his country’s growing military spending – which amounted
to over $700 million in 2006 compared to Armenia’s $150 million –
would enable it to regain control of the Armenian occupied
territories by military force.
Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan, is home to nearly 100,000 ethnic Armenians. The Armenians
captured Nagorno-Karabakh, along with seven administrative districts
of Azerbaijan, in the early 1990s, expelling some 700,000 people from
their homes. The occupied territories account for nearly 20 per cent
of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized area.
Armenia responded on Monday, blaming the failure of the Karabakh
talks on Azerbaijan. In a statement carried by the Arminfo news
agency, the Armenian Foreign Ministry accused Baku of turning down
peace proposals offered by the OSCE Minsk Group, but did not
elaborate on the proposals.
The Armenian ministry threatened to pull out of the talks: `If
Azerbaijan continues its policy, Armenia will insist that Azerbaijan
talks directly to Nagorno-Karabakh,’ the ministry said, adding that
Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh would never give up their
`independence’. `Once again we want to tell Azerbaijan that no one
can force the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to give up the right to
freedom and self-determination, no matter how large their military
budget is,’ the statement read. Referendum
To the surprise of many in Azerbaijan, the Armenian Foreign Ministry
said the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents had agreed on the
holding of a referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh to define the region’s
political status.
`There is no disagreement on the issue of a referendum. The
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents have already agreed on this,’ the
statement read, adding that the mediators also support the idea of
holding a vote in Nagorno-Karabakh.
`For the first time ever, the co-chairmen [of the OSCE Minsk Group]
have said that Nagorno-Karabakh’s status should be decided by the
people of Nagorno-Karabakh in a referendum,’ the Armenian Foreign
Ministry said.
What still causes disagreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is how
to liquidate the ramifications of the military conflict by stages,
the statement went on.
`Armenia believes that, in general, the principles set out by the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman serve as grounds for continuing the
talks, and we are ready to hold talks with Azerbaijan based on [these
principles],’ the statement read.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, however, said that
any referendum in the ethnic Armenian-populated region of the country
should be held in keeping with the Azerbaijani Constitution, and only
after the Azerbaijanis expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh are allowed
back. An estimated 40,000 Azerbaijanis were expelled from the region
during the hostilities. In a statement released on Tuesday,
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence or
unification with Armenia is out of the question. `Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity is not and cannot be a subject of
negotiations… If the negotiation process breaks up, responsibility
for this and its further consequences will rest with the Armenian
side,’ the Foreign Ministry said, but also reiterated Azerbaijan’s
commitment to finding a negotiated settlement of the conflict.
`Azerbaijan reiterates that it is ready to grant Nagorno-Karabakh the
highest-level of autonomy in line with the Azerbaijani Constitution
and within the framework of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized
territorial integrity,’ the statement read. Eldar Namazov, a
political analyst who headed former President Heydar Aliyev’s
secretariat in the late 1990s, said it would be a grave political
mistake on the part of Azerbaijan if it gave the go ahead to a
referendum in the Armenian-occupied territory.
`It would be contrary to Azerbaijan’s interests,’ Namazov said in an
interview with Baku Sun. `It may be that Azerbaijan is making
promises under duress. But this could have bitter consequences for
Azerbaijan,’ the analyst said.

Kenya Times, Kenya
July 1 2006
Witness tells of Kalonzo, Arturs encounter
MP met the two people by chance, Kiruki commission told
By MAXWELL MASAVA & EMMANUEL ONYANGO
A MEETING between former Cabinet minister Kalonzo Musyoka and the two
deported Artur brothers was accidental, a commission inquiring into
their presence and activities in the country was told yesterday.
Rajendra Ratilal Sanghani commonly referred to as Raju Sanghani told
the commission yesterday that the Arturs, together with a third
person identified as Zakir Omar, met Musyoka by chance while on a
visit to Serena Hotel sometimes in November 2005.
Sanghani, the third witness to testify before the commission narrated
how he came to know the two brothers claiming that he met them in
Nairobi on November 10, 2005, after they had jetted in alongside
Zakir to explore business opportunities.
`We met many people among them Kalonzo to whom I introduced Zakir and
his group. At that time when they realized that he was a former
Minister of Foreign Affairs, they wanted to seek his opinion on some
investments they wanted to make in other neighbouring countries and
Congo. Since Hon Musyoka was busy at that time, he said he was going
to be in Grand Regency Hotel that evening for a different meeting. He
said he would spare them some moments there,’ he said while
exonerating Kalonzo on allegations of a planned meeting.
He also said the photograph session between the group and Mwingi
North MP was taken in good faith and he never thought the same could
be used for political reasons.
He told the commission that it was through Zakir that he came to know
Arturs as investors and members of Royal Families back in Armenia.
Zakir introduced Sargasyan and Margaryan as Mr Arthur and James
respectively, Sanghani told the commission.
Sanghani told the commission being headed by Shedrack Kiruki that he
also introduced the two brothers to many of his friends as Arthur and
James.
He told the commission that he had met his old acquittance, Zakir,
while on a trip in Mumbai, India, in May 2005 where they discussed
business opportunities in Kenya.
In his testimony, he said Zakir called later in October of the same
year expressing interest to invest in Kenyan market and arrived in
the country later in the same month accompanied by two other people
who turned out to be the Arturs.
While being guided by his lawyer, Mr Ladji, Sanghani told the
commission that he had all along believed that the Arturs were
genuine investors until March, this year, when their activities
started coming under intense scrutiny by the media.
He said the housing business alone would have seen him earn Sh300
million in profit had the two brothers not been deported.
He denied having invited the two brothers to the country but admitted
to having sent his emissaries to receive them at Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport on the day they arrived in the country.
He also admitted to having booked them at Grand Regency Hotel on
their first visit and later renting them the palatial house in
upmarket Runda Estate when they returned last year to execute their
investments.
Kalonzo was adversely mentioned by the two brothers during their
controversial stay in the country.
Alongside Langata MP Raila Odinga, Kalonzo was claimed to have
visited the two with the aim of accessing funds to topple the
Government.
The MPs denied the claims, saying the two were mercenaries hired by
the State to taint their names.

G-8 FOREIGN MINISTERS CALL FOR PROMPT RESOLUTION OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS IN EX-SOVIET UNION, BALKANS
AP Worldstream
Jun 29, 2006
Foreign ministers from the Group of Eight major industrialized nations
on Thursday called for a prompt resolution to regional conflicts that
continue to plague some ex-Soviet territories and Balkan countries.
In a joint statement, diplomats called for the ex-Soviet South Caucasus
states of Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach an agreement this year on
the long and bitterly disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“We call on Azerbaijan and Armenia to show political will with the
aim to reach an agreement this year and prepare their peoples for
peace and not for war,” the document said.
Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan, but is populated mostly by
ethnic Armenians, who have run it and seven contiguous districts since
an uneasy 1994 cease-fire ended six years of full-scale war. Sporadic
border clashes regularly break out. The unresolved conflict has held
up development in the strategic region.
The ministers also urged a solution for the Serbian province,
Kosovo. The ethnic Albanian majority want to become independent,
but the Serb minority wants it to remain part of Serbia.
“We welcomed the launch of direct Belgrade-Pristina talks and in this
regard we urge the parties, including the Kosovo Serbs, to negotiate
in good faith and make every effort to reach a negotiated agreement,”
the ministers said.
“We underline that Kosovo must remain multiethnic. The Kosovo
leadership should pay particular attention to implementing the
standards for national minorities defined by the international
community,” the statement said.

GREG REALTY TO PREPARE 4TH GEORGIA-ARMENIA POWER LINE
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Energy Newswire
June 28, 2006 Wednesday 12:36 PM MSK
The U.S. company Greg Realty has won a tender to prepare a project for
the construction of a fourth power line between Armenia and Georgia,
Levon Vardanian, director of the development and PR department at
the Armenian Energy Ministry, told Interfax.
He said that the Georgian Energy Ministry called the tender. The
project work, which will be financed by the Georgian side, should be
completed by the end of 2006.
The 400 kilo-volt line will be the only power line capable of ensuring
the parallel work of the energy systems of both countries.
Vardanian said that the cost of the project and sources of financing
are still under discussion. Initially it was planned to complete
construction by the end of 2006, but work on the project dragged out,
he said.
Armenia and Georgia are currently connected by three power lines:
two 110 kilo-volts and one 220 kilo-volts.
Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisian told journalists earlier
that after the construction of the fourth line the capacity between
the two countries would amount to 650 megawatts.

SUGGESTIONS OF TEH DARTMOUTH CONFERENCE ARE BASED UPON AN AGREEMENT OF EQUAL CONCESSIONS
ArmRadio.am
28.06.2006 16:29
Minks Group suggestions for settlement of the Karabakh conflict are
unacceptable. What is suitable is the suggestion of the Dartmouth
Conference, based upon an agreement of equal concessions. The
agreements of the Dartmouth Group were signed between representatives
of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh. From the Armenian side
the Dartmouth conference was attended by Vice-President of the
Constitutional Right Union Hayk Babukhanyan, former Human Rights
Defender Larisa Alaverdyan, ex-Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan
and President of the Democratic Party Aram Gaspar Sargsyan. The latter
condemned the suggestions of the framework agreement, considering
the deal impermissible. He added several more discoveries to the
ones made by US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza. Thus,
according to this framework agreement, Armenia should make territorial
concession.
“Five liberated territories should be given to Azerbaijan, and it is
clearly mentioned on the map where the peacekeeping forces will be
deployed, ” he noted.
President of the Democratic Party and Vice-President of the
Constitutional Right Union consider that the reaction of RA Ministry
of Foreign affairs confirmed that the Armenian side is ready to accept
the suggestions, while Azerbaijan refutes these.
Aram Sargsyan and other members of the Armenian side of the Dartmouth
Group demand from the Armenian authorities to unveil the whole content
of the document.
“Otherwise the situation will aggravate so much that we’ll have to
return to February, 1988,” Aram Sargsyan predicts.

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH KAREKIN DEFENDS ARMENIAN CLAIMS IN TURKEY
By Melike Duransoy, JTW
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
June 27 2007
* Karekin II: “Ankara should recognise the Armenian massacre”
* Armenian Patriarch Karekin Defends Armenian Claims in Turkey. Turks
say that if a Turkish man defends Turkish ideas on the histoical
claims in Armenia he or she would face very rude attitudes
* Karekin II conducted a service on Sunday in the central church of
the Turkish Armenian Patriarchy, Istanbul
* NATO PA Vice-president, Turkish diplomat Vahit Erdem had been
deprived of the office car and guard and he was considered as ‘enemy’
because of his statements on the historical Armenian claims
ISTANBUL (JTW)- Armenian General Patriarch Karekin II, currently on
a visit to Turkey, on Sunday said that Ankara should recognise the
so-called Armenian genocide of 1915.
Speaking at a press conference after conducting a mass in an Armenian
church in Istanbul, Karekin II said the allegations of genocide against
the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian community had been studied for 90 years
by academics and there is no for any discussion or any more study on
the issue.
“For our people the genocide is not an issue of research,” he said.
“This is an incident that has happened and its has to be recognised.”
Turkey has not accepted the Armenian allegations since the
establishment of the modern republic. Turks argue that more
than 520,000 Turkish people were massacred by the armed Armenian
groups during the First World War and there was no genocide or any
state-sponsored massacre against Armenians.
Karekin II said that Armenia was very willing to develop relations
with Turkey and stressed that if the two countries worked together
constructive solutions could be found to the problem.
In response to Turkey giving high points to Armenia in the Eurovision
Song Contest, Karekin II said that this should be seen as a positive
step.
Turkish Armenian experts however argues that Karekin II is lucky
because he was speaking in a ‘democratic country’. Dr. Nilgun Gulcan
for instance told the JTW that no Turkish could defend Turkish
perspective in Armenia.
Dr. Gulcan further says:
“You may find any pro-Armenian book in Turkish bookstores and you
can freely defend the Armenian or any other perspectives in Turkey.
Almost all ‘genocide’ literature have been translated Turkish
language. We clearly understood what the Armenians think about the
1915 Events. But Armenians have no idea about Turkish perspective.
They do not listen. They think that, if they listen to the Turks,
they would commit a great sin. You have to risk your life to defend
Turkish perspective in Armenia. No Turk defending Turkish perspective
could go to Armenia. A Turkish historian was in Armenia last year
and spent months in an Armenian prison. And Turkish MP and NATO PA
Vice-president Vahit Erdem faced difficulties in yerevan when he said
that there was no genocide at all.”
Turkish prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan offered to establish a common
commission to discuss the historical disputes between the Turks and
Armenians, however Arzmenia rejected the offer and declared “there
is nothing to be discussed”.
According to Dr. Sedat laciner from Ankara-based Turkish
think tank USAK, the Armenian approach regarding the past is
“shut-up-and-accept-it” policy. “They do not listen to what you say.
They try to order Turkish people to accept what they think. This is
not the best way to develop any co-operation” Dr. Laciner says.

THERE IS A GREAT POTENTIAL FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND BULGARIA
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 17:43
The recurrent fourth sitting of the Armenian-Bulgarian
intergovernmental commission for trade-economic and
scientific-technical cooperation started today in Yerevan.
The trade-economic cooperation between the two countries should be
activated, stated the Co-Chairs of the Commission – RA Minister of
Transport and Communication of Armenia Andranik Manukyan and the
Minister of State Governance and Administrative Reforms of Bulgaria
Nicolas Vasilev. In 2005 the volume of commodity turnover between
Armenia and Bulgaria totaled US$85 million. Although this index
is rather high as compared to US$10-12 million in 2003, it does
not satisfy RA Minister of Transport and Communication, Armenian
Co-Chair of the Armenian-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission
for trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation Andranik
Manukyan. In his opinion, the economic relations should be as active
and warm as the political ties.
The Bulgarian Co-Chair of the Commission, Minister of State Governance
and Administrative Reforms of Bulgaria Nicolas Vasilev considers that
there is a great potential for cooperation between the two countries,
which should be utilized to further improve the relations between
Armenia and Bulgaria.